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Dublin Marathon 2008
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Joe - If you managed to run at all after Beachy you have done well. To finish this one feeling so fresh is amazing. Well done everyone anyway.
My back is still a bit sore and I have been absolutely shattered since Saturday.
Not sure where to run next year now - Back to Dublin, Beachy or maybe try Snowdon ???
Do Dublin again Fox! I'm trying to do it next year!
Well done on great running guys!
Now then
Great weekend away. Took Mrs Podro and the Podlets. Hotel was 10 minutes from the start so a gentle jog in the morning. Start was a bit chaotic but somehow managed to end up very near the front and was away and in the clear after the first 400m. Knocked out steady 6:40s, going through half way in 1:28:30ish. All looking good until 18 miles when I stopped for a quick wee, but after that struggled to get my legs moving again at the same pace. Pace was around 7:10 for the remaining miles and over the last two tried to get back on sub-3 as I felt it was slipping away. Pearse Street was a blur and turning into Nassau street the marshalls were screaming at us to break three. Turning into the final stretch the clock turned over to 3:00:00 and running hard as I could made no difference. Missed sub-3 by 5 seconds
. Still, a PB by 7minutes and a great race. Apart from the somewhat disorganised start I thought that everything was very well run and slick.
As soon as I finished my calves kept cramping up and I'm walking down stairs sideways this morning.
I wanted to go to the pub afterwards but Mrs Podro wasn't having any of it, so I was dragged off the the St Steven's Green Shopping Centre after which we walked through the cobbles of Temple Bar (ouch!) to the Cathedral to see the mummified cat and rat. This meant I was still sober when we got on the plane back in the vening, unlike the (non-runner) fella in front of me who passed out and had to be physically roused from his seat after we landed.
Two lessons learnt: 1). Don't stop for a wee break during a marathon, 2). Don't take Mrs Podro if you want to enjoy a well-earned beer after your race.
Well done to everyone else and the lads that I chatted to on the way around.
No beer afterwards?!?!?
I'm at Dublin airport, just waiting for the flight home. Definitlely had a few beers yesterday. We found the pub where all the Dutch runners seemed to be congregating.
I had a lovely run, perfect weather for it, knocked 20 mins off my previous PB.
Saw Joe Hawk and Johnny Blaze and some fetchies afterwards in Kennedys
Westley - not too worried about just missing out on sub-3. It means I have an excuse to keep on training for a spring marathon
. I am however, mortified that I wasn't allowed out for a beer since I had been looking forward to it all week. Well done on your time. the negative split suggests that you can go considerably faster.
Hi folks, keep the race reports/results coming - especially slow ones like mine
This was my first marathon, and I was hoping for a time of around 5 hours, given that I'd run the Great North Run 3 weeks earlier in 2:10 and felt really good then. To cut a long story short, I finished in 5:33:42. Everything was going canny until around 9-10 miles when my foot and calf started to 'go'. It developed into a sciatica like pain which kind of shot up through the bottom of my foot, then up my calf. It later spread to my knee, which felt wobbly and clicky! I decided that the best way to carry on was to brisk walk and jog until it started really hurting when I would walk again! This was fine, as I was able to chat with other folks who were also having pain issues, so the last few mile markers passed quicker than I thought they would. I think the calf problem was due to the intensely cold wind - I should have worn my leggings rather than my knee length capris. But never mind - I finished - and that was all that mattered!
Great shirt and medal
Yes, it was freezing wasn't it! I was glad of my hat and wore it all the way round. It was a nice bright morning though. It was excellently organised except for the beginning of the route; surely it would have been better to go turn left onto Merrion Square North rather than head down the narrow Holles street?
It reminded me of Bristol half in september where we were all herded down an alleyway between people' back yards and I could hear people shouting 'skip!' to warn us of an upcoming skip plonked right in the middle of the alleyay!
Just back home.
The hotel I stopped in was v nice - Trinity capital - altho decor was a bit unusual - largely deep reds and purples, but somehow it all worked.
Had a meal with a bunch of Fetchies night before - good carb loading but no beer - partic after I'd had 2 pints before getting on the plane at erm 7 am.
Got up and I'm afraid I had bought some kelloggs and weetabix and some milk and had a cheapo brekkie in the room.
Walked to the bags area which was very simply and straightforwardly organised. then to the start to freeze my nuts off with 12,000 others for an hour. Could have done with some group aerobics I think andno attempt to stagger by race times was made - which is probaby why I was overtaken by hundreds of runners in the first 2 mile.
Bit of a choke point half a mile in and everyone slowed to a stop. My race plan was just to get round doing about 9:30 - 10.00 miles throughout, which I did.
Race was well supported by the good folks of Dublin, although some sections - partic the park - were very quiet.
By mile 16 I was feeling OK but at mile 22 my left leg suddenly went a bit weird behind the knee and thought I might need to walk but it went away a bit. Actually speeded up at Mile 24-26 and had enough left to do quite a long Sprint for Glory at the end.
Fetch shirt got me a lot of Come on Fetchies although some folk were obviously a bit bemused by it.
Finished in 4:21 and felt ok if a bit tired and wary of steps. Fantastice arrangemen to walk straight from the finish to the bags - < 200 yards and except for the novel start the organisation was excellent. Thanks to the race organisers and the folk of Dublina nd all the guys and gals behind the scenes doing all the hard work - they were still putting the barriers away at 8 pm - good work guys.
Beers and stories after the race at Kennedy's which I ran past and completely missed during the race. TBH I was bit zoned out and after 4 pints was ready for a kip and duly went to t'hotel and fell asleep fully clothed for 3 hours before waking up with a headache.
Tuesday went to national gallery, bought some Belleek and a leprechaun fridge magnet then back on the plane. My first big city marathon and I thought it was great.
I finished 5:10:16, it was my first marathon and was ecstatic just to finish. I also had about 6 pee stops, i think my morning coffee didnt help.
I hit the wall at 22 miles, had to walk for a mile then was able to 'run' the rest. The atmosphere was brilliant, everyone cheered when we went under the first bridge which kinda set me up for the rest of the run. The support from the crowds was brilliant also, especially at the end. I was buzzing the rest of the day. The weather on the day was fantastic!
Apart from a few niggling pains in my knees and feet i actually fell great today. Went for a 4 mile hike around the Dalkey hills. Bloody cold day though.
I've signed up for Connemarra in march, hope to better my time and hopefuly aim for sub 4:30 this time.
I've deffo caught the marathon bug
So well do Wildcat77.
Whatever, you do next, never let go of the feeling of your first marathon, how you felt crossing the line. That memory will keep you in good stead for years to come as you question why you are putting yourself through the pain of training and injury.
Any update from Amster? I saw a number of Blackburn tops but not Amster? Hope it went well? I am sure it did.
Old age and worn out joints are getting to me. I always race to the best of my ability but the times are reducing. However, I felt that I had as good a race as I could have done and finished with the clock showing 4:36:38 for which the chip time was 4:32:01.
The start could have done with some organisation (a claim I have heard from others in previous years). If you read that rather large programme it gave some indication that the fast runners should start near the front and the slow ones near the back. I was still passing walkers, 3 or 4 a breast after the 1 mile mark (what was that about) .
Where there was support it was incredible and the encouragement was brilliant. Even the American woman who was preaching as I passed (I had a serious look on my face as I passed her and she bellowed "smile and you will feel better"). I kept looking around me to see who they were shouting at and I guess that in most cases it was all of us. It gave me a boost every time I passed a crowd. I had decided that there is no point picking up the pace in the last few miles just for the sake of a couple of minutes of the time. That crowd sucked me along in the last mile or so and I couldnt help but increase the pace and the screams down the finishing straight put me into a sprint. Passed a lot of people and the only annoyance was a few ill bred runners who suddenly stop in front of you, in the middle of the road, which tested my swerve and my points to the limit.
A worn out Old Road Runner who enjoyed the race but was upset not to have met any forumites before or after the race. Where did you all go in the end?
Wow!!!
My first ever marathon so at least a guaranteed PB as long as i didn't end up with a DNF. Was looking a bit shaky 4 weeks ago when I picked up a knee injury on my second long run. However, was taken under the wing of an excellent physio who demanded that I start my taper immediately and go through a set of gruelling quad and glute strengthening excersises, cross training and ITB stretches.
With 12 days to go, my physio, pod and I decided on a very brave strategy of replacing my Asics 2130s with a pair of Kayanos and taping up my knee. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! Got back into running on the 3 week mark, did a 3 mile, 4 mile and 5 mile rehab run a week before the race.
Cold day at the start, and questioned my decision to wear a vest, but was very glad of it as the sun came out at around mile 2 or 3. Knee held up brilliantly, and got a massive wave of emotion at about mile 16 when I realised I was going to finish. Kept to a brutally disciplined pace thanks to my Forerunner 205 (what a piece of kit, and at only £99 from Amazon, what a bargain too!) and ran a negative split.
Kicked off at mile 25 for my fastest mile of the race and finished in a pretty respectible 4:28 (chip time).
Absolutley brilliant atmosphere, crowds handing out sweets and some very loud encouragement to us all. My first marathon, but definitely not my last. A wonderful run to start my log of 26 milers!
All I can say, is that the last mile made all of the previous 25 worthwhile!
This was my first Marathon and I managed a 3hr28min (despite having a bad cold) however, I found the start and the first 6 miles a huge frustration. I registered in the sub-4 hour group and was expecting a maximum of 3hrs30mins, so I positioned myself about 3/4 of the way back in the 4hr enclosure. My first mile took over 10mins and the next few 8-9 mins - I normally run about a 7.15! I had to constantly skip around other runners who looked like they had no intention of running sub 4hrs. I didn't settle into a steady pace until about 8miles and then had a lot of 'catching-up' to do which ended up zapping my energy.
I've only competed in one other race (Chester Half Marathon) where I managed a 1hr34min and the same happened here. I lined up in the 1.30-1.40 group and spent the first few miles running down pavements and dodging around people. I don't want to get in the way of faster runners and start ahead of my time, but this is getting really frustrating. Is this what normally happens?
Aside from this, I really enjoyed the Marathon and thought the organisation was excellent. I found all of the other runners really supportive and, as for the Irish, I think you would be hard pressed to find such a genuine bunch of friendly people.
I best start looking for another event now!
Hi - superb time Johnny!
What you're experiencing happens all the time. Especially so in my local race, the Wilmslow Half Marathon, but I've even seen it in a 10k race as well. But then equally, in a field of c.12,000 I doubt that the start is going to be anything but a bunfight....
Most memorable instance of this for me was the BUPA Great Manchester 10k Run. Was in a sub 1hr category, and had to dodge walkers after 2km!!!
I put in a sub 4 hour time when I entered the race in April, but realised that this was going to be tough ask. I just put myself right at the back of the sub 4 hour funnell and let a load of over 4 hours go past me as we walked to the start. Some people are extremely self centred, and this is definitely not an unusual thing.
Tim,
thanks. Having now lost my marathon 'virginity' I will think a bit harder about the start. One thing is for sure, I'll definitely wear some old clothes to keep me warm before the start! I did my best to wrap up in a tin foil blanket to keep warm but nearly froze to the spot.
My first marathon but certainly not my last !! Set out aiming for sub 4.00 and ended up with 4.04. I initially blamed it on the slow start and me being naive and honest enough to start at the correct position, but it also may have something to do with the fact that it felt that someone shot me in both legs at the 24 mile mark and it took me over 25 mins to complete the last 2 miles or so. Great atmosphere and the crowd were superb. I even shed a little tear in the closing stretch, it was that emotional (but don't tell anyone)
Walking upstairs is fine today but do not ask me to walk down again for a couple of days, but what a feeling I am still buzzing.
What a great experience!
I was actually having a decent run for me (looking at sub 3:30) up until the 20 mile mark. At that point in the race though, i really started to feel the pinch.
That bloody dual carriage-way bringing you back into Dublin city Centre definitely didn’t feel like a home stretch, it felt bloody brutal.
From there onwards, my feet felt like they were on fire and I started to slow down. By the time I hit mile 23, down past the Hall where the race expo had been held the day before, my main aim had switched to just finishing the race without stopping.
By mile 24, despite the fact that my legs felt as though they were beginning to cramp up, I was aware for the first time in the race that I was actually passing people and this cheered me up no end!
As I passed the 25 mile marker I realised that if I could just maintain my determined plodding like shuffle a sub 3:40 finish was definitely back on the cards.
The crowd over the last mile of the course were out in thousands and being on the end of their support was quite a humbling and emotional experience.
When I passed the 26 mile marker and made the right turn to see the finish line up ahead I knew I could just nip under the 3 hour 40 minute barrier and attempted to kick for the line. 3:39:14....... get in there my son!
Dd anyone see the massive contingent of yanks? the Team in Training?
Team in Training
just popped into say back here in wales the weather's turning bad, i have lots of wonderful momories of Dublin 2008, folks from RW (those of us B & Jonny B from RW and another fetch place)
LIAM on water station 15 - well spotted mate.
yes as you say Jonny B the yanks and Canadians help the attmosphere, with thei (illegal)coaches on bikes ! , also germans, Fins, and i also had a chat with a lady from Trinidad said her Dad knows one of the Wrexham players
, meeting up afterwards in kennedys was once again great. Wen i get a moment i'll post a brief summary of my blog - thanks everyone for support- a 20yr pb for me , & 4mins off an actualpb ...
WrexhamRob - I think we may have spoken at the start, although I didn't realise it was you!!
I was talking to you as we both walked towards the start & then you stopped in the loo queue!! I remembered you though because of the big yellow daff........ which I spotted passing me somewhere after 20 miles. It was then I saw your name on your bum! But you passed me too quickly & at that point I didn't have the energy to call out.
Hope you had a good race